Day after Day
by ShuileSmaragaid
Summary: OOC, AU. Rogue and Wolverine. Rogue is bored with her life after she's left the Xavier School and she's working to save up to go abroad... permanently. What will she do about her affections for the cute man she always 'runs-into.' PLEASE review!
1. Chapter 1

I sat at the case, looking down at the contents. I don't know what I expected to see. The general idea of the case never changed, only the individual rings... I briefly scanned the certification cards next to each diamond solitaire. Shape/cut, measurements, weight, color, clarity, polish/symmetry...

I was just waisting time. I already knew exactly what was in the case in front of me. I knew we had maybe one D colorless cert, two or three marquise certs, a one carat princess specialty cut, and only two rings in yellow gold. White gold was the fad right now. It's alright, but I just get so bored of it.

I was bored here often. We rarely had customers at this time of day. People just don't buy jewellery in the middle of the day, during the week and you can only wash the glass so many times to fill your day. Some days I thought I might sink into a hole in the floor, I was so bored... I don't know, maybe bored and safe is better than anything else. Well, relatively safe, anyways...

It was May. It had been almost two years since I'd left the Xavier School to figure out what I wanted for my life. I had really liked the place, and my friends in it, but I just couldn't find my way there. I had felt like a zombie; just doing as I was told and thought I should do. Now I was trying to figure out what I wanted and where I wanted that to occur.

I had been thinking about going abroad for about two years before I left the school. I still thought about it. I always thought about it. Part of my problem, I think, is that I feel suffocated here. My family just never seemed to get off my back and I couldn't handle it. I needed to get away from them, so I had been working to save some money before I called this life quits and started my new one.

"Anna," my boss, Irene, called to me from her desk in the office/register area. "It's noon," since Jodi had come through the door a minute before for her noon shift, I knew what time it must have been, "I don't think I'm going to take lunch right now. You can go," she said with her faded southern accent. She'd lived in Boston for too long and her accent seemed to only present itself after she visited with family.

"Sure, Irene," I replied as I walked off the floor and into the back to deposit my keys in the safe before leaving for lunch. I asked Jodi and Irene if they wanted anything from the restaurant, as I walked to the door.

Jodi hadn't asked where I was going for lunch. She knew.


	2. Chapter 2

Jodi knew I was going to the restaurant a block away. The one all of the staff usually went to for quick meals when we were working. I'm sure Irene had assumed that's where I was going, as well. But Jodi knew it wasn't just because of the food...

I ran through my daily ritual as I began to walk to the restaurant;  
¬Check the time  
¬Walk into the backroom  
¬Deposit my keys in the safe  
¬Get my purse  
¬Check my lipstick  
¬Head to lunch

It was always the same. Day after day... Things never seem to change and. let me tell you, it gets depressing...

I couldn't help but adjust the dress I was wearing. Yes, I admit that it was somewhat self-consciously... but what can a girl do. I couldn't help the nervous jitter feeling when I thought I might see a guy.

I walked in the door of the restaurant not knowing who would be working that day. My eyes immediately caught sight of the reason why I came here so frequently. The cute manager behind the counter.

I watched Logan for a few seconds before he looked up, searching for the customer who had opened the door. I felt the glowing smile across my face as I saw him. I found myself smiling alot when I was around him. It made me wonder if I looked like a dimwitted fool when I was around him...

Even as I watched him, I was entranced. I tried not to become attached. Believe me, I've tried. But there is something about Logan that just seems to draw me in. And it's not just how attractive he is. When he reveals parts of himself, it's hard not to fall for him.

Most of the time, he hides behind the façade of who people think he should be; tough, rugged, coarse, a bit vulgar... He plays the cad, the playboy. But that's not really Logan. Logan is sweet, tender, has a soft spot for children. When he smiles, genuinely smiles, his eyes glow like a child on Christmas morning. It's not difficult to distinguish _my_ Logan from the Logan everyone else thinks he is... My Logan is vulnerable, endearing, tender, thoughtful, genuine... the list goes on. The _other_ Logan, he's so different he might as well be an animal, is cocky, blunt, and wolf-like. I take that back. He's not a wolf, he's more of... a wolverine maybe?...


	3. Chapter 3

Anyways, I digress. I've been trying to fight any feelings I might have for Logan for months now... As hard as I fight or convince myself that my affections are just a mild crush, I haven't been able to quash them completely. I was in a bit of a vicious cycle. I'd convince myself that Logan meant nothing to me {this was particularly easy after the Wolverine greeted me instead of Logan}, and, then, I'd run into Logan and I'd loose all my conviction.

Today, watching Logan, caused my affections to come flooding back, as usual. It's like I get hit by a Mack truck when this happens... and it's happened more than one, let me tell you.

When I entered the restaurant, the Wolverine was amusing two guys. He was flirtatious and suave,, everything that made them giddy; like James Bond when he's around women. In many ways the Wolverine was similar to James Bond; they're both ruggedly attractive, debonair, flirtatious, insensitive, too sexy for their own good, the bad boy, and women just flock to them. As enticing as the Wolverine was, I still preferred Logan...

As I watched him and observed the Wolverine's usual tactics, he turned towards me, standing at the door, and Logan's eyes greeted me instead. I saw a whole-hearted smile wash over Logan's face, all the way to his eyes {another way to distinguish the two men that seemed to inhabit his body}. I watched Logan as his face lit up at the sight of me and my heart melted...

I told you. I _try_ to fight my affections. I admonish myself whenever I catch myself in any degree of swooning, even the slightest trace of it. Unfortunately, whenever I see Logan smile at me like that, I can't help but swoon... Damn my heart. It seems that I'm determined to pulverize my heart at an available opportunity.

My heart skipped a beat as Logan turned and his eyes met mine. I mentally shook myself to set my head aright. I had to compose myself. I _needed_ to. I just can't let myself slip into this. I have to fight my heart because I don't want to stay here, in this town, in this country.

I want to get the hell out of here. And as soon as possible. I mean, running as fast as I can. I'm suffocating. I'm drowning in the ambiance of Boston's old money... I just can't take it anymore. Trust funds, regattas, the Hill, the Pops on the Common, SC&L... Which is where I work, by the way. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the store and my coworkers, but it never changes. It's always the same.

Maybe that's part of what attracts me to Logan. He's not part of the old money social groups... I don't know much about his past, but from what I do know, he doesn't run in the social circles I'm running away from.

There are few things I like about this life; the sailing, the access to _whatever_ I want, the ability to run to the Vineyard and be received like royalty, special treatment almost anywhere... The money is nice, too, but it's not worth putting up with my family for it...

You think I'm kidding. I'm not. My last name has opened many doors for me and my family wants me to stay in this life, controlling my every breath... down to who they think I should marry.

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**Let me know what you do or don't like... If something hasn't been explained enough, etc.**


	4. Chapter 4

The sparkle in Logan's eyes distracted me from all of my other problems. When I was with him, I could forget my imminent betrothal and running away, having to go back to school, money, everything...

I stood, mesmerized by Logan's glowing, almost goofy expression. When I regained my train of thought, I realized I needed to pick something for lunch. Lunch. Lunch? Ummmm... I hated that Logan could scramble my brain like this. I wonder if he knows what effect he has on me... In that moment, regaining my mind, I briefly questioned whether outside observers could see the idiotic transition of emotions across my face. I hope not.

Logan was looking at me expectantly and I had to force myself to regain my composure. I pulled myself together long enough to order some lunch. As I watched Logan ring my order in the register, I wondered, for the thousandth time, how he ended up in Boston. I knew a little about his past, very little. He grew up somewhere in the south. I don't know his exact age but I think he's about 26 years old, two years older than me. He told me once that he had been a teacher for a while. I know he has a higher education degree, but not the subject... There is alot about Logan that I don't know.

Logan continued making our usual small talk; How is business at my store, how's business at the restaurant, how am I, how is he... Boring, but I enjoy it. I also crave more. I had forgotten the new ring I was wearing until I observed a peculiar and amusing series of events that occurred over the next five minutes. Emma, another manager, came into the restaurant to start her shift. Logan's eyes flashed as he saw the new ring on my left hand. A mix of emotions quickly darted across his face; apprehension, sadness, confusion, concluding with a sullen blankness. The array of expressions smoothly progressed in such a practiced way that a less accustomed eye would have missed it. I barely perceived this fleeting transition of emotions as we continued our conversation. Emma spoke as she moved almost to my side. As Emma and I exchanged the usual niceties and small-talk queries of each other, I lost track of Logan. I think he rang up my lunch... Emma proceeded to the back to begin her shift. Momentarily afterwards, Logan followed. I was left to myself, finding a table to eat. When Logan reappeared, the glum facial expression he had worn into the back had been replaced with the sweet happy-go-lucky one I fancy. What was said, I do not know. What I do know; Emma is aware, no matter what finger I wear my diamond ring on, it's not an engagement ring...

Hmm... If he only knew how close I was to having an engagement ring forcibly put on that finger...

I have to admit, it made me wonder what he would do about Victor, after his little display...

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**PLEASE review so I know whether or not to keep writing...**


	5. Chapter 5

Victor.

What can I say about Victor. He's handsome, refined, charismatic, and generally bored by everything... He is also a real prat. He thinks he's God's gift to women and generally feels entitled... to anything and everything.

I guess you could say that Victor and I grew up together. Our parents are old friends. We went to the same prep school, too. Luckily for me, he was three years ahead of me {in my brother's class}, so I didn't have to spend too much time with him during those years.

He's 27 years old. An age, according to my mother, perfect for a man to get married. He's just shy of 5'11'', which isn't an issue because I'm only 5'1''. Victor has dark brown hair that always looks a mess and chocolate brown eyes. He's handsome, really handsome. Unfortunately, the second he opens his mouth, you want to run him over with your car... unless, of course, my or his parents are around. Whenever he's playing the role of the angelic, sheltered school-boy, it makes me sick to my stomach.

I want to tell you that I don't know how 'the adults' could be so blind to Victor's vile persona, but I can't. He's smart, smarter than any asshole slacker should be. He knows that he has to play the part when he's around 'the adults', i.e. any society folk older than our school age. So he's got everyone fooled, even some of my classmates from prep. If they only knew...

After prep, Victor headed off to Harvard. His great-grandfather attended Harvard, followed by every son since. Naturally, he attended the Law School afterwards. I still haven't figured out who Victor paid to graduate with a 3.9... Now, he works in the family firm as a Junior Partner and, eventually, he'll become the head of the firm when his father retires.

He sounds great on paper... but just wait until you run into him at the yacht club. I can't help but be thankful that he hadn't, previously, tried to inflict himself on me. God bless my over-protective big brother!

There really isn't any doubt in my mind that I was shielded from a lot of the jerks at school thanks to my brother, Hugh. He's the best big brother a girl could ever ask for. Yes, Victor and Hugh were friends in prep and they still get together occasionally. Maybe that's why my parents seem so determined to marry me off to him...

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